Adjustable shoe traction device



Dec. 2, 1958' M. BODNARUK 2,862,310

ADJUSTABLE SHOE TRACTION DEVICE Filed July 3, 1957 IN VEN TOR.

ATTD R N EYS United States Patent 2,862,310 DJUSTAB E SHOE-TRACTION DEVICE Matt;Bodnaruk,-:Battle "Lake, Alberta, Canada pplicatio u y? 57,. t al,No,.669,8 6

1 Claim. c1. 367.6)

This inventionrelates to a gripping ortraction device and more particularly to a traction device for attachment to a persons shoe...

The object of the inventionis to. provide an adjustable traction .device which .will. permitta person to move. or walk: with. increased traction.

Another object. of theinvention. is to provide-an article vwhich is adapted. to.be..connected or releasably' attached to a shoe so that when a person is climbing hills, mountains or the like or when a person is walking on slippery surfaces such as icy surfaces, the person can walk safely and with stability and increased traction, the device of the present invention being adjustable so that the gripping teeth or prongs can be moved to different angular positions whereby the amount of traction provided can be regulated or varied as desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable traction device which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing one of the traction devices attached to a shoe on a persons foot.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the traction device, with the footplate and certain portions thereof removed for clarity.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and showing the parts on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the adjustable means and the lock.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the prongs and associated parts.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the lever and lock.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the shoe article or traction device which is adapted to be worn by a person when increased traction is required or to prevent a person from slipping on icy surfaces or the like. The article 10 includes the frame 11 which embodies a pair of spaced parallel longitudinally extending side members 12 and 13, and the frame 11 further includes end members 14 and 15.

Extending upwardly from the rear end of the frame 11 is a heel plate 16 which has a strap 17 connected thereto, and there is further provided a strap 19 which is connected to the front portion of the frame. The straps 17 and 19 are adapted to be arranged in engagement with the shoe or boot 18 which is on the persons foot. It is to be understood that in use a pair of the gripping devices 10 are to be used, one on each shoe.

The side members 12 and 13 of the frame 11 are each provided with a plurality of spaced apart cutouts or recesses 20, and a bearing 21 is secured within each of the recesses by means of suitable securing elements 25.

28,. Depending from therods 2 2,and 23.is a plurality; of pointed prongs or teeth; 29.-

There is further provided ,a lock for maintaining the prong s 29 immobile intheiryariousadjusted, positions, and Ithislock is indicated generally by the numeral 38, The, lock 38includes a lever. 31- which has its .lower end, pivotally conneetedto a s houlder or. enlargementu30sby, means. of a pivot pin 32. Theshoulder 30 depends, from. and is secured to or formeddntegral with the side member,

13 of the frame 11. A locking bar 33 includes a hand engaging portion 34. and van;angula rly arranged end .por-

tion '35, and the endportion 35 is mounted'for movement into gu' d out of engagement with one of the plurality of spaced apart openings36 whichare formed in the side meinber 13. A c0ilsp ring 37 is arranged on the portion 35 3 oftheflock bar 33. The bell crank .24 projects through a slot 39;in the lever 31. 1 A plate 40 may be provided for engagingthe :under surface of the shoe of the user.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a traction device which is adapted to be connected to a persons shoe or boot such as the boot 18. The article 10 is adapted to be fastened in place by the straps '17 and 19 which engage the shoe or boot 18, and the bottom of the shoe engages the upper surface of the plate 40 which is secured to the frame 11 in any suitable manner. There is further provided the plate 16 which engages the heel portion of the shoe. The plurality of pointed prongs or teeth 29 are adapted to engage the ground which may be hilly or mountainous, or these prongs can be used to engage icy surfaces so as to prevent the person from slipping when walking or traveling.

Furthermore, the prongs 29 can be arranged at different angular positions. Thus, the prongs 29 can be regulated so that the amount of traction provided thereby can be varied as desired, as for example, the angular relation of the prongs 29 can be changed as when a person is going up hill or going down hill or the like. In order to shift the angular position of the prongs 29, it is only necessary to grip the portion 34 of the lock bar 33 so as to move the lock bar 33 outwardly whereby the portion 35 of the lock bar will move out of engagement with the openings 36 in the side member 13 of the frame 11. Then, the lever 31 can be rotated =or pivoted on the pin 32 and this pivotal movement of the lever 31 will cause movement of the bell crank 24 since the bell crank 24 projects into the slot 39 of the lever 31. As the bell crank 24 rotates or moves, the rod 23 will be moved, and this movement of the rod 23 will cause similar movement of the pair of links 26 which extend upwardly therefrom. Since these links 26 are pivotally connected to the pair of bars 27 by means of the pivot pin 28, it will be seen that there will be corresponding movement of the pair of bars 27. As the bars 27 move, all of the remaining links 26 will be pivoted since these links are pivotally connected to the bars 27 through the medium of the pivot pins 28. As the other links 26 are moved, the other rod 22 will be rotated in the bearings 21, and this movement of the rod 22 will cause corresponding shifting or movement of the prongs 29 which are secured to the rods 22. After the prongs 29 have been set or adjusted to the desired an gular position, manual pressure on the lock bar 33 can be released so that the spring 37 will maintain the end portion 35 and the lock bar 33 in engagement with the proper opening 36 so that accidental movement of the prongs 29 and associated parts will be prevented. When PatentedDec. 2, 1958 3 it is desired to shift the prongs 29 to a different position, the same procedure is followed.

Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided an adjustableboot or shoe crampon and the device can be readily removed from the shoe or boot when it is not needed. Furthermore, the position of the prongs 29 can be moved or varied as desired, so that these prongs 29 can assume an angular position or else they can be'shifted backwards or forwards to assume various angles of inclination, according to the direction in which maximum resistance is desired.

' The lever 31 controls the adjustment of the prongs or crampons 29, and the spring loaded lock 38 maintains the prongs 29 immobile in their adjusted position. The end 35 of the bar 33 is adapted to engage the openings 36, and the lever 31 is pivotally connected to the shoulder 30 through the medium of a pivot pin 32. The numeral 40 indicates the sole plate, and there is further provided the heel block 16 and the straps 17 and 19 for engagement with the boot or shoe 18.

I claim: 7

In a shoe article, a frame including a pair of spaced parallel longitudinally extending side members, end members extending between the end portions of said side members, there being a plurality of spaced apart recesses in said side members, bearings secured within said recesses, a plurality of spaced parallel rods extending between said bearings and journaled therein, a plurality of spaced apart 7 pointed prongs depending from said rods and secured thereto, links extending upwardly from said rods, a pair of spaced parallel bars pivotally connected to said links, a shoulder depending from one of the side members of the frame, a lever having its lower end pivotally connected to said shoulder, there being a slot in the upper portion of said lever, a bell crank extending from one of said rods and projecting through the slot in said lever, a spring pressed lock bar having an end portion projecting through said lever, there being a plurality of spaced apart openings in one of the side members for selective engagement by the end portion of the lock bar, a plate arranged adjacent the upper ends of said side members and secured to said frame for engaging the under surface of the shoe of the user, a heel block extending upwardly from the rear of said frame, and straps connected to said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 47,006 Fitzki Mar. 28, 1865 225,897 Weir Mar. 23, 1880 577,475 Zandalazini Feb. 23, 1897 1,036,766 Wodtli Aug. 27, 1912 1,276,964 Roe Aug. 27, 1918 1,469,619 Byrd Oct. 2, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS 191,178 Germany Nov. 8, 1907 

